


Bless Your Heart

by WrathoftheStag (Mwuahna)



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Cracky, F/M, Flirting, Second-Hand Embarrassment, flirting with strangers, poor rookie, tater and jack are stinkers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-03 00:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15807957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mwuahna/pseuds/WrathoftheStag
Summary: Rookie Falconer, Sam, finds himself flirting with a cute stranger at a Falconers' staff party.  Tater and Jack are stinkers.  Second-hand embarrassment galore.





	Bless Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doorstepdreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doorstepdreams/gifts).



It was always a bit unnerving, the number of people, the raucous laughter, the almost-too-sexy-for-a-family-event dancing. And yet everyone was so beautiful... Sam couldn’t believe he was a part of it all. He smiled to himself.

“Hey, Nunzio, don’t get too wasted! The party just started,” Poots yelled out at the rookie.

“It’s just my first glass,” Sam yelled back and laughed. 

The Falconers’ holiday party was their one all-out party of the year. Unless it was a Cup year, which, Sam hadn’t been lucky enough to experience, _yet_. He had just graduated from college and was 10th in the draft, happily picked up by the Falconers. Sam hoped that they could make it back-to-back wins so that he would have his own Stanley Cup ring to flash.

Sam scanned the room and took it all in. Marty and Snowy stood by the dessert table and eagerly partook of the pies Zimmboni’s boyfriend brought. (He was going to miss Marty and Thirdy next year when word on the street was that they would officially retire.) Georgia and her wife sat on a couch, as George casually flung an arm around Rosie. Gabby stood in front of them with a drink in hand and laughed at whatever anecdote Rosie had just shared.

And of course, Zimmboni and Bitty danced with Tater and Randy on the dance floor. All four of them, lost in their world snickering and pointing at each other’s moves.

Sam had felt welcomed from day one, and like he was a member of the team, but still, a part of him felt… lonely. Everyone had a someone at their side, but him. He finished his beer and walked over to the bar to get another. That’s when he noticed her.

She was petite, blonde, and had a warm smile as she chatted with the bartender. Her voice was like honey and sunshine. Sam always had a thing for older women. When he was 18, his first real girlfriend was 25. In college, he briefly (and secretly) dated one of his professors, and now there she stood. She looked like she was in her mid-40s, in great shape and had amazing legs. She received her white wine just as Sam reached the bar.

“Is that a chardonnay?” He asked.

The woman turned and looked at him, “What? Oh, no. It’s sauvignon blanc, actually.”

“Ah, see? I was never good with wines.”

The woman smiled and a bit of confusion spread across her face.

“I’m Sam,” he said as he reached his hand out.

“Nice to meet you, Sam,” she replied not giving her name. That’s okay, Sam liked a little bit of mystery. 

“You’re on the team, right? First season?” She asked.

He smiled broadly and nodded. “Yeah, it’s my rookie year with the Falconers—I just graduated from Dartmouth and now here I am.” He didn’t want her to think he was a teenager for crying out loud.

“Dartmouth? Impressive,” she said and took a sip of wine. 

She scanned the room and Sam hoped she wasn’t looking for her date—or worse yet, her husband. He tried to casually glance at her ring finger, but her left hand was below the bar.

“I was an econ major,” he said. “And you?” He raised his eyebrow at her.

She smiled and shook her head, “Well, let’s see. I was an English major, creative writing minor, many, many, many years ago.”

It was Sam’s turn to shake his head, “I don't think it was that many _manys_. An English major? Oof! My parents would’ve killed me.” 

He regretted the words, the second they came out of his mouth.

“Is that so?”

“Sorry… I just get nervous around beautiful women sometimes and say dumb things.”

She laughed again, “Goodness, you’re cute.” She took a sip of her wine.

He shrugged playfully and said, “Ditto.”

She muttered something under her breath and smiled.

“Would you like to have a seat?” He asked as he motioned toward one of the cocktail tables at the venue.

The woman stared at him for a moment, her large brown eyes examined his and then they crinkled at the corners as she smiled. “Sure, why not?”

They walked over and Sam pulled out her chair for he was a gentleman after all.

“So, an English major. That seems fun!” Sam said trying to make up for his previous faux pas.

“In undergrad. My masters was in educational administration.”

“Grad school, wow. I never went—obviously—but I wish I could have.”

She smiled, “Yes, you poor thing. Guess you’ll just have to make do with your paltry NHL salary.”

He laughed. He liked her self-assuredness. “So what do you do?” 

“I’m the superintendent for my school district. Basically, I oversee the schools in my area.”

“Wow! The future of the nation is in your hands,” Sam said aiming for suave.

“Something like that,” she said and swirled the wine in her glass.

“I love your accent,” Sam said and scooted his chair closer.

“Lord, well, you’d be the first,” she replied.

“No way! It’s sexy.” 

She looked at him sideways then laughed, “Sexy, huh? Down, boy.”

Sam shrugged and laughed, “I’m only telling it like it is. Sexy eyes, sexy legs, sexy brain. So sue me.”

“My… anyhoo. Shouldn’t you be hanging out with the other Falcs? Mingling and whatnot?”

“Why? I have the best company here,” He said and waggled his eyebrows.

The woman laughed and put her hand on her chest. “Oh boy, you charmer.”

“I like your dress,” he said. “The green really brings out your luminous eyes.” He gazed downward and took in her legs again. “Were you a dancer?”

“Was I a dancer? Okay, now you’re just laying it on thick.”

Sam threw on a look of mock offense. “You wound me! You’re one of the most beautiful women here with the sexiest legs, and that’s a fact.”

She laughed again and took her phone out of her purse. She quickly shot a text message to someone.

“I’m too old for you,” she said and put down her phone. “And I’m--”

He interrupted, “ _I’m_ too old for me.”

She smiled again and then scanned the room. She took another drink of her wine and polished it off.

“Would you like another? I can go get you one,” Sam asked eagerly.

“Sure. Thanks, Sam.”

“Sauvignon blanc, right?”

She nodded and Sam jumped out of his seat to hightail it over to the bar.

“Two sauvignon blancs, please,” he said to the bartender.

“Nunzio, you having fun?” Tater asked as he walked up. “You should come dance with us.”

Sam shook his head. “No can do, Tater my man. I have bigger fish to fry tonight.”

“But we have steak on menu,” Tater said with knitted brows.

Sam laughed. “No, I mean, I’m busy and have better things on the horizon.”

Tater smiled broadly, “Oh! Nunzio is going to find a little Nunzia tonight. Well done. Who’s lucky girl?”

Sam stage-whispered as the bartender handed him two glasses of wine. “Don’t be obvious, but she’s the blonde over there in the green dress sitting at the table behind us.”

Tater turned nonchalantly and then looked on with confusion.

“Which one?”

“The blonde in the green dress. The sexy older lady.”

“The sexy… older lady?”

“Yeah…”

“In green dress?”

“YES!”

“But she’s--”

Sam sighed. “Look, don’t be ageist! She is fine AF and smart and funny, so just get over it. I expected more enlightenment from you, man.”

Tater smirked and then said, “Okay. You're right, Nunzio. I know nothing. Good luck.”

“Damn straight,” Sam said as he headed over back to his table. He saw Tater run off toward a group of the guys out of the corner of his eye.

Fuck him. He was so tired of the girls his friends kept trying to set him up with. They all looked the same—all of them: the same flat-ironed hair, the same clothes, the same makeup, the same college majors for fuck’s sake. And that was just it. They were all _girls_. 

Here was a woman, a bonafide grown ass woman, who had a career, an established life, and was sexy as all get out. To hell with anyone who didn’t get it. 

“I’m back! Did you miss me?”

“Oh, sure,” she replied as she took her drink.

He smiled at her and figured this was it, he would just go for broke. Didn’t he deserve a little happiness as well?

“So, do you live nearby—or are you staying with friends?”

Her brows shot up. “I’m staying with friends. Yes, you could say that.”

“Would your friends mind if you… stayed out late? We can go for a walk or something. I don’t live too far.”

She snorted. She honest-to-god snorted and Sam found it endearing as hell.

“Um… no, they wouldn’t mind—but I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

Just then Zimmermann walked up to their table.

“Nunzio, how’s it going?” He asked with a smirk as he looked at his lady friend. What the hell was so funny? Was he also being ageist? He expected more tolerance from Zimmermann than the usual cougar bullshit mindset.

“It’s fine. We were just going to go for a walk.”

“We were?” She asked.

“I mean,” Sam interjected, “if you wanted to.”

“Oh, bless your heart,” she said with a smile.

Zimmermann shook his head. “Suzanne, everything all right?”

Sam turned to look at Zimmermann. Did he know her? What the fuck?

“Everything is fine, Jack. Can you give us a moment, sweetheart?”

Zimmermann smiled and clapped Sam on the back once. He then walked over to Bitty who was looking at them with great curiosity.

“You know Zimmermann?” Sam asked.

The woman, Suzanne, nodded. “I do. He’s my son’s boyfriend. I’m Eric’s mom.”

Sam felt all the blood drain from his face and he wanted to melt into a puddle and be swept into the nearest gutter.

“Oh god, I--I’m so sorry. I had no idea!” He groaned.

Suzanne smiled sweetly and patted his hand, which only made Sam quickly cover his face. In the background, he could hear Tater cackle.

“You just gave me the best night I’ve had a long time. Really, thank you. To think, someone as young and handsome as you could be interested in me. Talk about putting some pep in my step!” She said with a smile.

“I am mortified,” he said finally looking back at her. 

“Really, it’s fine. You were a perfect gentleman… if you hadn’t been, believe me, I would have let you know.”

“Please don’t tell the guys what I said.”

“Which part? The part about my luminous eyes or my sexy brain?” She asked grinning broadly.

“Oh my god,” he muttered.

Suzanne leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Have a happy holiday, Sam.”

She got up and walked toward Bitty and Zimmermann, leaving Sam alone at his table. He touched his cheek, still warm and tingling from her kiss, and thought there were definitely worse ways to spend time at a party.

**Author's Note:**

> Nunzio's new nickname ends up being Fil. 
> 
> Poots: "Hahaha! You're gonna be Jack's new father-in-law!"
> 
> Sam: "Shut up, Poots!"
> 
> Jack, smirking: "Yeah, leave my FIL alone."
> 
> * * *
> 
> If anyone wants to draw something from this, I'll love you forever. :D
> 
> For [](https://jack-manpain-zimmermann.tumblr.com/)Doorstepdreams--she knows why! ;)
> 
> All OMGCP characters belong to Ngozi.
> 
> Come and say hi [on the Tumblrs](http://wrathofthestag.tumblr.com/).


End file.
